a great feast to be got ready, and
asked the foremost people in the country to the palace. As they all sat
at table and were very merry, the king told a story of a brother and
sister who had been treacherously dealt with by a step-mother, and he
related all that had happened from beginning to end. When the tale was
ended the king's folk looked at one another, and all agreed that the
conduct of the step-mother in the tale was a piece of unexampled
wickedness.

The king turned to his mother-in-law, and said--

"Some one should reward my tale. I should like to know what punishment
the taking of such an innocent life deserves."

The false hag did not know that her own treachery was aimed at, so she
said boldly--

"For my part, I certainly think she should be put into boiling lead."

The king then turned himself to Foxtail, and said--

"I should like to have your opinion; what punishment is merited by one
who takes so innocent a life?"

The wicked woman answered at once--

"For my part, I think she deserves to be put into boiling tar."

Then the king started up from the table in a great rage, and said--

"You have pronounced doom on yourselves. Such punishment shall you
suffer!"

He ordered the two women to be taken out to die as they themselves had
said, and no one save Swanwhite begged him to have mercy on them.

After that the king was married to the beautiful maiden, and all folk
agreed that nowhere could be found a finer queen. The king gave his own
sister to the brave young man, and there was great joy in all the king's
palace.

There they live prosperous and happy unto this day, for all I know.

TALES OF TREASURE.

There are still to be seen near Flensborg the ruins of a very ancient
building. Two soldiers once stood on guard there together, but when one
of them was gone to the town, it chanced that a tall white woman came to
the other, and spoke to him, and said--

"I am an unhappy spirit, who has wandered here these many hundred years,
but never shall I find rest in the grave."

She then informed him that under the walls of the castle a great
treasure was concealed, which only three men in the whole world could
take up, and that he was one of the three. The man, who now saw that his
fortune was made, promised to follow her directions in every particular,
whereupon she desired him to come to the same place at twelve o'clock
the following night.

The other soldier meanwhile had come bac